Five facts about gorilla play

27/01/2020admin0 Comments

Gorillas are one of the most playful primates and this has been witnessed by trekkers who have got a chance to watch them in their joyous moods. Just like among other animals including humans, play is commonly associated in young gorillas though sometimes adult gorillas can also play among themselves to share some light moments. Here are five amazing facts associated with playing among gorillas.

1 play is mostly among juveniles and young gorillas as they begin to make their first steps away from their moms

Young gorillas in some large groups like the Pablo group are always seen changing play partners given the presence of many ones around and their playing sessions always last longer. The style of play taken up by these youngsters range from hanging from branches and vines to chasing each other around trees and rolling down hills. While enjoying their playing time, these youngsters can be heard producing loud and long vocalizations which can be described as laughter. Although play is mostly common among juveniles, this doesn’t stop the adults from joining in to share the fun! Occasionally adults are seen playing with the youngsters and sometimes with fellow adults.

2 Play is an important part of a young gorilla’s day

Play contributes an important role in gorilla development and it is such a healthy behavior for youngsters. They learn how to interact with others through playing creating a great social value for them as they bond with others. Through playing the young gorillas learn how to navigate their environment as they grow and also discover how to use their increasing energy. Adult gorillas value playing highly to the extent that when their young one doesn’t have any playmates in the group, they step themselves to engage him/her. When youngsters completely fail to find playmates, they engage in self-play using tree branches, vines and other objects just like how human babies use toys.

3 Sometimes gorillas may decide to play alone

Young gorillas are not fans of rest-breaks and they are always seen try to engage themselves when the rest of the group members are trying to take a midday nap. This is when the youngsters decide to play alone and they do this while spinning, leaping off branches and rolling down hills.

4 Gorillas love to play wrestle!

Young gorillas are fond of wrestling each other during bouts of play just like some human children. During this kind of play, infants are seen rolling around, jumping over other individuals including their moms and other adults who are not playing. Sometimes they even play while biting and hitting their playmates.

5 Gorilla play is always mistaken as aggression by people

gorillas are far stronger than the average human and this is truly depicted in their style of play. Because of this, people who watch gorillas play tend to think that some of them are getting hurt but it is not so. In fact, gorillas can be heard laughing while playing even though it may appear as if they are fighting. The gorilla style of play tends to be a bit different from that of humans and you can see their play faces with the mouth open, lower lip hanging and no teeth showing.

Gorilla play is just one of the many amazing behaviors of these giant primates who share up to 98 percent of the human DNA. You can get a chance of watching these great apes live as they exhibit their breathtaking behavior through a gorilla safari to one of their habitat in Uganda and Rwanda.

All you need to do to see mountain gorillas is to contact us and book your gorilla safari and we shall go on and prepare your gorilla permit, comfortable accommodation and safe transport that will give you a lifetime experience.